Local residents in the city of Seki, Gifu Prefecture, are on edge after animal remains were found buried in a flower bed, the second such occurrence in the prefecture this month.

According to local paper the Gifu Shimbun, a man living in the city¡¯s Oze district called the police at 12:35 p.m. on Tuesday after noticing animal remains haphazardly buried in his garden.

¡°I saw what looked like fur sticking out of a mound of soil. When I dug it up, I found what appeared to be an animal¡¯s head,¡± he told authorities. ¡°The fur was brown and whitish. It was disgusting.¡±

Upon arriving at the scene, officers uncovered a head and what appeared to be a front leg still attached to a carcass buried in the dirt. According to police, the head measured roughly 20 centimeters long and 15 cm wide, while the apparent limb was around 20 cm in length. The remains had not yet decomposed.

While the species of the animal currently remains unidentified, authorities believe it was a wild animal, not a domesticated dog or cat.

The homeowner, who had been gardening with his wife at around 2 p.m. the previous day, said they noticed nothing unusual in the garden at that time.

A similar case was reported on Jan. 9, when a deer¡¯s head was found buried in a flower bed at an elementary school in the city of Mino, about three kilometers away. Investigators suspect the incidents may be connected, believing that the remains have been deliberately buried, and they are working to find the culprit.

A woman living in Seki told the Gifu Shimbun that she had never seen any suspicious individuals in the area but was disturbed by the incident, especially given the earlier discovery at the elementary school.

¡°It¡¯s eerie. This is such a quiet neighborhood with peaceful people. I can¡¯t believe something like this is happening here,¡± she said.

In response to the latest discovery, Seki¡¯s education board has instructed all elementary and junior high schools in the city to inspect their premises for any potential threats to student safety.